Location
Lat 18° 11' 0" Long 120° 32' 0" Located to the south-west of Laoag at Gabu on the outskirts of Laoag near the
seaside.
Construction
This airfield was built prior to the war.
Japanese Usage
Occupied
and used by the Japanese beginning in
December
1941 when it was captured, until
February
15,
1945
when
they abandon the airfield due to guerilla raids. It was then
occupied by American forces. After the war, it was improved
and expanded further. Wartime Photo July 25, 1946.
Missions Against Laoag
On January 24, 1945 Major
Simeon Valdez, 2nd Battalion leads a raid on the airfield,
burning
the headquarters,
setting
fire to a fuel dump. There are no casualties on the raider's
side. Similar attacks follow in the succeeding days.
American Occupation
Occupied by the Americans, used as a airfield beginning
in early April, 1945, after laying marston matting. American units all arrived from Mangaldan,
then departed for Ie
Shima:
American Units Based at Laoag
3rd Air Group, 4th FS (P-51s) - April 5 -
August 9, 1945
3rd Air Group HQ & 3d FS
(P-51s) - April 19 - August 9, 1945
3rd Air Commando Group, 318th TCS (C-47's) - April 29 - August 25, 1945
Today
The airport is still in use, as an international airport that services Ilocos
Norte Province, with flights from around the Philippines and China and Taiwan. Then & now
photos.
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